PROVIDENCE,R.I. (20-Sep) -- In the moments before the starting gun fired, runners
anxiously completed stride after stride, doing anything they could to
avoid the tense feeling of anxiety and pre-race jitters flowing through
their nerves. At the CVS Health Downtown 5-K here, they double and
triple-checked their shoelaces and watches, as if doing so would help
time pass more quickly.

In stark contrast to the group was Dathan Ritzenhein,looking supremely relaxed.
A three-time Olympian,Ritzenhein appeared at ease before the starting gun, clad in his purple
Nike singlet. He bounced around effortlessly, coming over to the press
truck to exchange pleasantries a minute or so before the National Anthem
boomed over the loudspeakers. In a sea of anxiety and pre-race
commotion, "Ritz" appeared serene.

Don't be fooled: Ritzenhein was more than ready to race. Leading the field through the mile in 4:30
and two miles in 8:55, he'd ultimately finish third in 14:03, a very
strong showing for the marathon specialist. Only miler David Torrence
and steeplechaser Dan Huling would beat him to the line.

Ritzenhein's demeanor before the race --serving as the U.S. 5-K Championships--
could be seen as a representation of his outlook going forward,
especially as he readies for the build-up for the 2016 U.S. Olympic
Marathon Trials next February in Los Angeles. At 32, the Rockford,
Mich., native has been through this process three times before: he knows
what it takes to earn a ticket to The Games, and how to not let the
pressure get the best of him.

While the task is tall, Ritzenhein is confident and feels a new-found spark.
After battling a string of injuries throughout his career while training in Boulder,
Colo., and Portland, Ore., Ritzenhein with wife Kalin and two children,
Jude and Addison, has returned to his home state of Michigan. The move
has helped rejuvenate his legs in a sense, bringing him back to his
roots and why he fell in love with running in the first place.

"I'm really just enjoying training. I really enjoy training right now,"
Ritzenhein told Race Results Weekly, emphasizing the word 'really' while
standing atop the awards stage after the race. "I've been having so
much fun in Michigan, the family is having a blast, both of our
families. It's great and has put me in a good spot, too."

Clutching his finisher's medal in his right hand and a water in his left,
Ritzenhein smiles in between answers. He's relaxed and confident. He
speaks from the heart.

In years past, Ritzenhein sometimes appeared intimidating and deep in the zone, especially while wearing the
all black Nike Oregon Project "skull" uniform. His game face was one of
intensity and focus, and his times were eye-popping (60:00 for the
half-marathon, 12:56.27 and 27:22.28 for 5000m and 10,000m,
respectively, on the track). Now the father of two seems more relaxed,
though still possesses a fire to perform to the very best of his
abilities.

"I had a little bit of, I was waning on motivation a
little bit and being able to be back home has just revived me," he
explained. "It's been really cool."

Ritzenhein has had a solid
marathon career to date, notching a personal best of 2:07:47 at the 2012
Bank of America Chicago Marathon and finishing 9th at the 2008 Beijing
Olympic Marathon. At the 2012 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, he finished a
devastating fourth, forcing him to go back to the track and qualify for
London 2012 in the 10,000m, instead.

For 2016 his eyes are on
the marathon, plain and simple. He currently has the second fastest
entry time of all qualifiers --the 2:09:45 he ran at the Bank of
America Chicago Marathon in 2013-- only behind 2004 Olympic silver
medalist Meb Keflezighi (2:08:37, Boston, 2014).

At the moment,
Ritzenhein is in a slightly awkward spot. He is not racing a fall
marathon, and it's too early to begin his hard build-up for the February
13, Marathon Trials. Not having raced a track season, Ritzenhein has
chosen to dabble at different distances on the roads recently. He
finished third at both the HealthPlus Crim 10 Mile Road Race in August,
and at the Faxon Law New Haven Road Race [U.S. 20-K Championships]
earlier this month.

Healthy and upbeat, the Colorado alum
cherishes each and every opportunity to toe the line. Racing shorter
distances has helped stoke the fire and desire deep inside his wiry
frame.

"It's a strange time. For me its a little different, as
usually I'd be coming off a World Championships or Olympics this time of
year. So not doing that and not getting ready for a fall marathon is
different. But I'm happy," he said. "You know, just to be able to race, I
just feel blessed and happy that I've raced a lot this year. It's good,
it's important -- you have to know how to race no matter what. In the
marathon a lot of people think it's just surviving. You still have to
have that competitive instinct and I think that it's important to be
able to do these other distances."

At the USA 5-K Championships
here, Ritzenhein stepped down in distance and tested his speed. He
looked like the younger "Ritz," the man who wowed on the track prior to
2010. Reflecting on the race, Ritzenhein considered it a success. It was
a confidence-booster and a nice step forward in preparing for the
Olympic Trials.

"I wanted to come out here and feel good today.
It was good, I'm really happy with it," he said. "I wish that I would
have been able to have one more gear. It was maybe a little slower the
first mile than it needed to be to get rid of the faster track guys. All
in all this is a great spot for me and I'm in a really good place.

After
pausing for a moment, Ritzenhein continued: "I feel really good, I'm in
a really good place. I'm coming off a really good Spring, and I've been
healthy."

PHOTO: Dathan Ritzenhein (r) leads the field at
the 2015 CVS Health Downtown 5-K in Providence, R.I., on Sept. 20